In a daring act, a banned militant outfit, the Kuki Independent Army (KIA), allegedly looted a large number of arms and ammunition from a designated camp in Churachandpur district of Manipur. The camp houses three militant groups that have signed a tripartite suspension-of-operation agreement with the central and state governments: the United Tribal Liberation Army (ULTA), Kuki National Front- Zougam (KNF-Z) and the United Socialist Revolutionary Army (USRA). The KIA is not a signatory to the agreement, police said. The incident took place around 7.30pm on Saturday at the Horeb camp in Chongkhuzou village, about 45km southwest of the Henglep police station. The raid was led by the KIA’s self-styled commander-in-chief, Thangkhongam Haokip alias Davidson, along with approximately 14 others. Police said the militants, dressed in camouflage fatigue, overpowered the lone sentry of the camp. They also roughed up three others present in the barrack and tied them up. They went on to break open the armoury and looted the arms and ammunition, police added. While the number of weapons taken away is yet to be ascertained, sources said eight weapons belonging to the UTLA—one self-loading rifle, four pistols, one AK47 rifle and a grenade launcher—and six belonging to the KNF-Z, including an AK 56 rifle with several live rounds, a carbine, 303 rifle and a 7.62 pistol, were among them. Several rounds of live ammunition and magazines were also missing from the armoury, police said. Security forces led by the Churachandpur superintendent of police and accompanied by two Assam Rifles teams visited the place, about 3 hours from the district headquarters. The forces have launched a massive search operation for the militants. Police also announced a cash reward of Rs 50,000 for information leading to the arrest of KIA chief Thangkhongam Haokip and his men. Haokip is said to have been involved in kidnapping, extortions and bombing cases.
